[SS01] Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) for Engineering Applications

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Prof. Dr. Moslem Shahverdi Empa, Switzerland moslem.shahverdi@empa.ch

Dr. Saim Raza Empa, Switzerland saim.raza@empa.ch

The Special Session is dedicated to papers dealing with cutting-edge issues on research and application of SMAs in structural engineering. The topics of the Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

• Advances in the material development of SMAs
• Material characterization of SMAs (wires, rebars, strips, cables)
• Design and development of low damage structural systems
• Novel prestressing applications of SMAs
• Applications of SMAs as actuators
• Active vibration control in structural engineering using SMAs
• Hybrid composites of SMAs and polymers for structural engineering applications
• SMAs as sensors for structural health monitoring
• Numerical and analytical modeling of the SMAs for structural engineering applications

 

[SS02] Life-cycle assessment and maintenance of steel structures

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Assoc. Prof. Qian-Qian Yu Tongji University, China qianqian.yu@tongji.edu.cn		Dr. Elyas Ghafoori Empa, Switzerland elyas.ghafoori@empa.ch		Prof. Tao Chen Tongji University, China t.chen@tongji.edu.cn
Assoc. Prof. Xu Jiang Tongji University, China jiangxu@tongji.edu.cn		Assit. Prof. Lili Hu Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China lilihu@sjtu.edu.cn

Steel infrastructure, such as railway and highway bridges, offshore structures and pipelines, is generally subjected to service load and environmental conditions. The deteriorated behavior of aged structures has attracted much attention in civil community.

This Special-Session will share new research results related to sustainable steel structures and will provide a platform for researchers to have in-depth discussions and to enhance future collaboration. It covers the following topics and also other related topics:

• Retrofitting solutions using novel approaches, e.g., FRP/SMA (e.g., bond behavior, pre-stressing methods, etc.)
• Long-term behavior under severe environmental exposures and sustained loading (e.g., corrosion, fatigue, etc.)
• Experimental, numerical and analytical studies on assessments of metallic retrofitting systems
• Life-cycle analysis, assessment and evaluation of aging steel structures

 

[SS03] Multi-hazard assessment and mitigation of infrastructure

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Prof. Xiang-Lin Gu Tongji University,China gxl@tongji.edu.cn		Prof. Feng Lin Tongji University,China lin_feng@tongji.edu.cn		Assoc. Prof. Qian-Qian Yu Tongji University, China qianqian.yu@tongji.edu.cn

Infrastructure is subjected to one or more natural hazards, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, landslides and flooding. Effects of multiple hazards have attracted much attention in civil community.

This Special-Session will share new research results on this topic and will provide a platform for researchers to have in-depth discussions and to enhance future collaboration. It covers the following topics and also other related topics:

• Assessment of coupling effects of multiple hazards (e.g., concurrent hazards, cascading hazards)
• Assessment of environmental effects (e.g., temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide)
• Multi-hazard risk assessment and mitigation of infrastructure
• Improvement of infrastructure resilience subjected to multi-hazards

 

[SS04] Monitoring, assessment and rehabilitation of traditional masonry and timber structures

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Prof. Xiao-bin Song Tongji University, China xiaobins@tongji.edu.cn

Assit. Prof. Hongyu Zhou University of Tennessee, USA hzhou8@utk.edu

Prof. Xiang Li Tongji University, China lixiang@tongji.edu.cn

Traditional masonry and timber structures are subjected to performance degradation due to the natural and human activities induced hazards during their service periods, and thus requires particular attention regarding structural performance monitoring, assessment and rehabilitation.

This Special-Session will share new research results on this topic and will provide a platform for researchers to have in-depth discussions and to enhance future collaboration. It covers but is not limited to the following topics:

• Structural damages and performance of partially damaged structures
• Inspection, monitoring and assessment techniques and case studies
• Fire and seismic resistance testing and modeling
• Structural performance rehabilitation and strengthening techniques

 

[SS05] Environmental impact on performance of concrete structures

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Prof. Chuanqing Fu Zhejiang University of Technology, China chqfu@zjut.edu.cn		Assoc. Prof. Zhilu Jiang Zhejiang University of Technology, China zljiang@zjut.edu.cn	Assit. Prof. Zheng Dong Zhejiang University of Technology, China zdong@zjut.edu.cn
Assoc. Prof. Hongyan Ma Missouri Unviersity of Science and Technology, USA mahon@mst.edu		Assoc. Prof. Amir Poursaee Clemson University, USAamire@clemson.edu

In the long-term service time, the performance of concrete structures is significantly influenced by the surrounding environmental conditions. The steel corrosion in concrete due to aggressive environment (e.g., chloride ions and carbon dioxide) has been a major concern for the deterioration of concrete structures. Additionally, the environmental actions (e.g., freezing and thawing, and sulfate corrosion) can also directly degrade the mechanical performance of concrete structures. Generally, concrete structures in a service life may experience the following stages: environmental aggressive agent penetration, steel corrosion initiation, crack initiation, crack propagation, concrete spalling and collapse. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the environmental impact on performance of concrete structures. To study the environmental impact on reduction of structural capacity and durability, the experimental methods including field exposure test and laboratory accelerated test, modeling of mechanical and durability behaviors, and numerical simulation at multi-scales have been developed. The aim of this special session is to present the advances in performance evolution of concrete structures in various aggressive environment. The scope of this session includes but is not limited to the experimental study and numerical simulation on the durability-related issues of material deterioration and structural responses under environmental actions.

 

[SS06] UHPC: from materials to structures

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Prof. Guotao Yang Qingdao University of Technology, China yangguotao@qut.edu.cn		Prof. Jijun Miao Qingdao University of Technology, China msyu_990421@sina.com
Prof. Dongshuai Hou Qingdao University of Technology, China monkeyphil@126.com		Prof. Peng Zhang Qingdao University of Technology, China zhp0221@163.com

Ultra-high-performance-concrete (UHPC) is increasingly being adopted in new construction and rehabilitation projects because of its outstanding mechanical properties and durability compared with conventional concrete materials. The topics of this special session include, but are not limited to: 

• Development of UHPC at the microscopic level
• Recent experimental studies on the mechanical properties of UHPC
• Novel theories and applications of UHPC in engineering structures
• The application prospects of UHPC under the background of ‘low-carbon development goal

In the long-term service time, the performance of concrete structures is significantly influenced by the surrounding environmental conditions. The steel corrosion in concrete due to aggressive environment (e.g., chloride ions and carbon dioxide) has been a major concern for the deterioration of concrete structures. Additionally, the environmental actions (e.g., freezing and thawing, and sulfate corrosion) can also directly degrade the mechanical performance of concrete structures. Generally, concrete structures in a service life may experience the following stages: environmental aggressive agent penetration, steel corrosion initiation, crack initiation, crack propagation, concrete spalling and collapse. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the environmental impact on performance of concrete structures. To study the environmental impact on reduction of structural capacity and durability, the experimental methods including field exposure test and laboratory accelerated test, modeling of mechanical and durability behaviors, and numerical simulation at multi-scales have been developed. The aim of this special session is to present the advances in performance evolution of concrete structures in various aggressive environment. The scope of this session includes but is not limited to the experimental study and numerical simulation on the durability-related issues of material deterioration and structural responses under environmental actions.

 

[SS07] Intelligent inspection, monitoring and assessment of Infrastructures

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Assoc. Pro. Jiangpeng Shu,  Zhejiang University, China jpeshu@zju.edu.cn

Pro. Alfred Strauss,  University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria alfred.strauss@boku.ac.at

Pro. Yuanfeng Duan Zhejiang University, China ceyfduan@zju.edu.cn

The aim of the special session is to integrate the emerging smart and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to the inspection, monitoring and assessment of civil infrastructural systems for the enhancement of their safety, functionality and sustainability. Currently, the direction and research methods including image analysis, convolutional neural network as well as other intelligent inspection, monitoring and assessment methods. The scope of the special session including Smart Structure Technology (smart construction materials, smart sensors, structural health monitoring, smart NDT, diagnosis and prognosis), Artificial Intelligence (deep learning, big data, smart diagnosis, computer vision, cloud computing, internet of things, virtual reality, robotics, drone, construction automation, intelligent building, smart city, intelligent civil infrastructural systems) as well as quality control and/or maintenance strategies-thresholds.

 

[SS08] Moving load-based bridge monitoring and inspection

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Prof. Songye ZHU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Empa, Switzerland

Prof. Wenyu HE College of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology

Carrying moving vehicle load is the fundamental function of bridge structures. The dynamic response of the coupled moving vehicle-bridge system has been widely used for bridge monitoring and inspection. This Special Session will share the latest research progress in this topic and will provide a platform for researchers to have in-depth discussions and to enhance future collaboration. The topics of this special session include, but are not limited to:

• Moving load identification
• Bridge influence line estimation
• New measurement technology for moving load test
• Bridge modal identification by moving load test
• Bridge damage detection by moving load test
• Bridge capacity evaluation by moving load test